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‘This is a game changer’

‘This engine has the best possible chance of being a game changer’, says Julian Simon. The former 125cc World Champion will be testing the new Moto2 triple engine ahead of the 2019 season.

A Moto2 runner-up in 2010, the Spaniard was one of the first riders run in the 765cc engine at a two-day shakedown in Aragon, Spain, late last year.

“It is a great honour for me to be associated with Triumph at such an exciting time and on a project that will have a big effect in Moto2.” In this exclusive behind-the-scenes interview, Simon gives us his honest appraisal of the new engine.

“Triumph + Moto2 = perfection”

“The two days were great because everyone was so passionate about what they were doing and that will show in the finished product once all the final detailed changes have been made,” he says.

“Combining a Moto2 engine and a Triumph engine is exciting and Aragon showed me we have good power distribution, torque and a very smooth gearbox. I worked on the old model and I know we need a little more time to understand the dynamics better, but it was an encouraging first two days of testing.”

Simon’s objectives were simple: to test the engine at speed; stretch its endurance and durability; and provide vital feedback on its torque and power delivery across the rev range in a race set-up.

“It has an awesome sound”

“The Triumph engine is very different in every way; it is fun and a big improvement in power and torque. The power is unbelievable and grows incrementally, and has awesome sound. The gearing is fantastic, too.

Based on the new 2017 Street Triple powerplant, the Moto2 triple is being developed and fine-tuned ready for its first competitive outing in the 2019 Championships.

The new engine is designed to breathe more freely and rev harder than the production bike. It’s a significant move on from the race-winning Daytona 675R powerplant that has powered supersport wins at the Isle of Man TT, Daytona 200 and British Supersport Championships in 2014 and 2015.

Testing is underway now

So, the scene is set for the next chapter in Triumph’s 110-year racing history. Simon’s instinctive and detailed verdict on the engine’s performance will form a major part in further modifications. Right now, Triumph is using the rider’s feedback in addition to its own analytical data to complete a full testing programme prior to the handover in June.

Simon says: “It is all about teamwork and the great thing about Triumph is that the team listen to feedback to make continuous improvements to give the engine the best possible chance of being the best yet.”